Hamas said it was ready to release a living American hostage and four bodies, though it was unclear if the U.S. and Israeli governments sought such a move and whether they would accept it unconditionally.
The Palestinian militant group has agreed to “release Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, who holds American citizenship, in addition to the bodies of four other dual nationals,” it said in a statement on Friday.
“The movement affirms its complete readiness to begin negotiations” about a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Hamas said.
Hamas didn’t specify if the four dead hostages were American-Israeli. The main Israeli forum for the hostages’ families said there are that number of deceased American-Israeli captives in Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has said that getting Alexander released is a priority. The White House insisted it would not seek a deal favoring Alexander over the other hostages still held in Gaza.
